The Times

Bea Moss is on vacation. Her column will return when she does.

High SM cop turnover prompts investigation

By ERICA MEYER Staff Writer An unusually high rate of turnover, apparently sparked by policemen's disagreements with Chief Sal Vizzini, has plagued the South Miami Police Department in recent months. With Coral Gables showing only six officers leaving since November, 1975 and with Dade County Public Safety showing only a three per cent average annual turnover, South Miami's police department has lost 10 people from the 36-man police force in five months - more than a 25 per cent turnover rate. One former South Miami officer, Dennis Waller, now a criminal justice instructor at a North Carolina college stated, "They would lose half the men in the department if the guys could find other jobs. The chief treats the men like he was running a feudal fiefdom. He runs the department along dicatorial lines." Waller was one of See GRAND, Page 12

Times | Guide

4627 Ponce de Leon Boulevard Coral Gables, Florida 33146 Florida's Best Suburban Newspaper Phone 665-7481 28 Pages Vol. 50 No. 70 August 28/29, 1976 * * 10 Cents Weekend Edition

Local government shatters his faith

Archie Roberts is broke By ANA MARIA ALVAREZ Staff Writer As he sat in his dark office, lighted only by a ray of sun that came in through the front door, Archie Roberts talked of his disappointments. He put his faith in the system, and he says the system has failed him. As president of the United Handicaps of Florida, Inc., Archie had planned to turn his printing shop in South Dade into an office for the handicapped. But there are no lights in his printing shop at 104th Avenue and SW 186th Terrace. The telephone has been disconnected. Archie's business has gone bankrupt. "There are more than 39,000 handicapped people like me out there," said Archie. "My God, why can't local government help us?" For more than two years, Archie has devoted most of his time to helping other handicapped people in Dade. In September of 1975, Archie finally received a federal grant amounting to $24,241 for the purchase of four 12 passenger buses especially equipped to meet the needs of the handicapped. The condition of the federal grant stipulated that local monies for the project must total $6,000 and cover operating costs, estimated at about $75,000 a year. After a year of searching for that capital, Archie has been unsuccessful. If he doesn't come up with the $6,000 and the operational backing for his buses by Sept. 12, the federal grant will be withdrawn. "The federal government gave us everything we requested, and the State of Florida did too," See DREAM, Page 21

Legionnaires' dispute in CG closes well-liked restaurant

By ANA MARIA ALVAREZ Staff Writer May Clarke didn't wear mascara to work Friday morning because she knew she was going to shed a few tears. May is just one of seven employes at Murray's Restaurant, 2190 Salzedo in Coral Gables, who will be out of a job Monday. "I know I'm going to cry because I've been working here for three and I don't see how I can work for anyone else'" said the motherly waitress. "This is not like any other restaurant, it's like a home. It's like I'm losing my home." The signs posted on the window and on top of the counter of Murray and Ruth Grossman's restaurant read: "Closing as of Friday because the American Legion refused to renew our lease." Even on the last day, Murray ran business as he has for the past six years. He got to work by 4:30 a.m. to make his usual batch of homemade doughnuts. At 8 a.m., Murray walked out in the middle of a rainstorm to deliver a fresh pot of coffee to a regular customer in Coral Gables. And by lunch time, he had already made the soup-of-the day from scratch. American Legion Coral Gables Post No. 98, which owns the property where the folksky restaurant is located, announced to owners 30 days ago that they wouldn't renew the lease, said Murray. The restaurant is adjacent to the Post hall. Murray, a member of the American Legion himself, says there is a small group of legion officers who have a personal vendetta against him. Photo by ELIZABETH OWEN Murray, Ruth Grossman are closing popular eatery Other legionnaires who were not in favor of the decision agree with Murray. "The disease got the legionnaires in Philadelphia and it seems to be attacking them here ," said See Page 20

Portrait of an artist as a young homemaker 13